[LAU] Jacks and sockets - Was: Berlin Linux Audio meeting @ c-base 2018-10-09

[Ralf Mardorf]

On Sat, 2018-10-06 at 17:36 -0400, Tim wrote:
> On 10/06/2018 03:51 PM, Ralf Mardorf wrote:
> > https://www.roland.com/us/products/gkc-5_10/
> 
> Most folks become aware that even the best quality single-conductor
>   (with shield ground) 1/4" guitar cables eventually break. It happens
>   to all of them. Usually at the entry point to the plug, or in the
>   plug itself.

Hi,

I confirm this and most likely anybody else does, too.

> Now take that hard-learned experience with a single-conductor cable
>   and apply it to *thirteen* conductors. Guess what happens...
> 
> (Jacks for these DIN type plugs are usually never a problem if
>   secured and soldered properly. Usually far less trouble than
>   other types of jacks.)
> 
> Often, the cause of the cable's break is the plug's strain relief
>   being too tight - ironically the very thing that is supposed
>   to help prevent breakage in the first place.
> 
> I can't be too harsh on this product for the price/weight range.
> But yeah, buy TWO of them to be safe.

Hi,

the reason that I like to get more information about this Roland cable
is, that there are a lot of less expensive 13 pin DIN cables available
by the Internet and I do not only need a backup cable, I also want to
get a shorter cable than those sold by Roland.

Some of the non-Roland cables seem to be without a locking mechanism,
but other provide a locking mechanism, e.g. the CD changer cables. I
wonder about the used cables. Are all cable cores of the original Roland
cable audio cables or are the cores a mix of different kind of cables?
Do other 13-pin DIN cables provide the same pin to pin connection as the
Roland cable? Since we know that some elChepo audio cables are ok for
50 cm short cables, but 3 m long cables worsen sound quality, while more
expensive cables are still ok for cables way longer than 3 m, I wonder
what 13-pole cables are good and which are bad. When using the Roland
cable for the "normal" guitar pickups, too, the sound quality of the
audio signal from the "normal" pickups is good. Unfortunately there is
no printing on the Roland cables. If I want to build my own cables, what
cables and what jacks might be good?

My favoured electronic part dealer provides only one 13-pin din jack
that fits, it's without locking mechanism and seemingly an elCheapo. The
dealer calls it "monitor plug" and yes, my Atari SM124 has got a 13-pin
din jack without locking mechanism, too. The dealer seems not to sell
any 13 cores cables at all.

Ordering jacks and cable from perhaps different dealers + time exposure
might not be worth the effort, to build a non-Roland cable, but perhaps
ordering a CD changer cable could be a solution to replace an original
Roland cable.

Regards,
Ralf